Description
Festive and delicious Christmas Cherry Bars with a buttery shortbread-like base, a sweet-tart cherry filling, and an optional simple glaze. These bars are easy to make, slice beautifully, and are perfect for holiday parties and cookie exchanges.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Base:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- For the Cherry Layer:
- 1 can cherry pie filling (21 oz / 595 g)
- For the Glaze (Optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and almond extracts.
- Gradually mix in the flour and salt until a smooth batter forms.
- Spread about two-thirds of the batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Spread cherry pie filling evenly over the base.
- Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the cherry layer, leaving some cherries exposed for a festive look.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let bars cool completely on a wire rack.
- For glaze: whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla (or almond extract) until smooth.
- Drizzle glaze over cooled bars before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easy creaming.
- Don’t overmix the batter to keep the base tender.
- Leave some cherries peeking through the top for a beautiful holiday look.
- Let bars cool fully before glazing and cutting to prevent crumbling.
- Chill in the fridge before cutting with a sharp knife for clean slices.
- Consider variations like different fruit fillings, adding nuts, or a chocolate drizzle.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled, unglazed bars for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and glaze before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar